It is no big secret that Calgary Flames head coach Darryl Sutter can be extremely stingy with his compliments. The sometimes-cantankerous 63-year-old bench boss is also famous for calling out his players when he sees fit and for unapologetically telling it like it is. However, during the Flames’ first round series with the Dallas Stars, Sutter has taken his patented “tough love” coaching style to the next level.
Calgary Flames head coach Darryl Sutter (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
Expectations in Calgary were sky-high when the boys in red finished the 2021-22 regular season first in the Pacific and were matched up with the wild card Stars in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Yes, memories of the 2019 collapse against the Colorado Avalanche were still fresh in many fans’ minds, but this time was supposed to be different. This time, the Flames had a future hall-of-fame coach with two Stanley Cup rings calling the shots.
Related: Flames Succeeding Under Sutter’s Tough Love Coaching Style
When the Flames’ offence completely dried up in the first three games, their head coach didn’t seem too fussed about being down 2-1 to the Stars and simply described the low-scoring series as “playoff hockey.” Heading into the pivotal Game 4 in Dallas on Monday night, it really felt like a must-win game for the visitors. History shows that teams that go up 3-1 in the NHL postseason have a 90% chance of winning the series.
That’s how much was riding on the line in Game 4, and that’s why Sutter’s rather mundane postgame reaction to knotting up the series at 2-2 was exactly what his team needed.
Sutter’s Muted Reaction to Flames’ Pivotal Game 4 Victory Right on Brand
After the Flames’ convincing 4-1 victory over the Stars in Game 4, the utter relief seen on the Flames’ faces was palatable. A series that was this close from getting away from the boys in red has now been reset to a best of three, with Calgary holding home-ice advantage. It…
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